The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1887-02-10
BLITHEFuL HOPES OF HEIRSHlP

A Sheep Drovcr's Claims TO n Califor-
mia Forty Miners Millions.
Jim" Blythe is sheep-drover. He
was born and brought up in this city,
says The Nei0 York World, went to the
war in 1861 with the 9th New York
militia, and in his early days ran to
fires with the boys of old engene, Is. At
present he lives with his family over a
saloon at the corner of Eleventh ave-
nue. and Fortieth street. A few days
ago he received information which
leads him to believe that he and his
children are joint heirs with others, to
an estate worth $4,000, 900.
There died, about four years ago, in
San Francisco, an old man named
Thomas II. Blythe. He had lived there
since 1S49, having come by way of Cape
Horn from England on the ship Ante
lope. Instead of becoming miner ON
his arrival he set up rs trader in gro
ceries, dry-goods, and liquors. and he
made money faster than the miners
who patronzed him. He invested in
real estate which has since become very
valuable. Blythe was a very eccentric
old man, very shrewd and close in his
business. No one knew aught of his
antecedents, except that he was an En-
glishman. His only known extravi-
gance was his presentation of hundreds
ofdollars worth of flowers yearly to ac-
tresses. He met his death by drown
ing while bathing, and thorough
search of his papers failed to discover
any will. There were deeds however,
showing his ownership to large tracts
of land, including blocks of houses in
the city of San Francisco, 5000 acres
of valuable land in San Diego county,
Cal, nine-tenths interest in the lands
of the Mexican Agricultural, Industri-
al, and Colonizing company, situated
in the valley of the Colorado river in
Lower California, comprising 400, 900
acres in Lower California; three
fourths interest in another ranch of
100000 acres in Lower California;
160 acres of land in Curry county, Or
egon, and silver mine in Mojave
county, Arizona.
A young woman Of San Francisco at
tended old Mr.. Blythc's funeral dressed
in deep mourning. She claimed that
the old man had married her, and that
she was entitled TO his property. An
other alleged widow came over from
England and about the same time II
year-old girl appeared before the sur
rogate, alleging. by counsel, that her
name was Florence Blythe, and that
she was daughter of the late Thorn
as. The claims OF all three to the prop
erty were in turn denied. Heirs were
advertised for, and over one hundred
claimants were found residing in var-
GUS parts of the United States, Canada,
and England. "Jim" Blythe, the sheep
drover, is one of these claimants. He
says his grandfather was minister OF
the Church of England, and his father.
who came TO this country in 1881, was
hauler of stone.
"Ah uncle of mine" ''he says, had II
son that was n very wild sort of a young
man. The young fellow fell in love
with one of the servant-girls and mar
ried her on the sly. When the old gen.
tleman heard of it he disowned his son
and sent him away from his house. The
young woman gave birth to male child
and after that all traces of the little
family were lost. Thomas was the
name of the young man who married
the servant-glrl, and believe it was his
son who came from England on the
ship Antelope in 1919. If my lawyer
can prove this l II be a rich man..
What Smoking Does.